Choosing Good Toys for Your Dog

Hi,

Playing with toys can be of great value to a dog, both for exercise, and physiologically.
Toys give a dog an interaction that stimulates their mind, keeps them engaged and satisfies their instinct to chew. It can also help to keep teeth and gums healthy.

It is obviously worth buying toys but there are many different types and designs of dog toys to choose from so what should you look for?

Firstly consider your dog's temperament, exercise requirements, size and condition and just how powerful a bite your dog has.
Does your dog like to fetch? Is your dog a chewer? Maybe your dog is a cuddler and likes snuggling up to soft comfy toy animals? Does a squeaky toy attract your dog?

You can now make short list the type of toys you think are suitable, however, delete the following:

1) Toys that break up easily such as soft plastic or rubber (harder  materials are usually okay)

2) Squeaking toys that are not robust and where you suspect that the squeak could become detached and swallowed by your dog.

3) Pull Toys (Actually there is nothing wrong with pull toys but if you are training your dog using the "Alpha Dog" principle pull toys may undermine your status) - see:
   http://www.dogtraining-tips.co.uk/dogtrainingguide.htm

4) Toys with any small parts or protrusions that might become detached and swallowed.

5) Toys that are too big or too heavy for your dog's size.

6) All "cheap and nasty" products - buy branded products if possible

Training Tip If you are trying to show your dog that you are the "Pack Leader", and when you are at home, make sure that you always go through every door before your dog. This is important especially  if there is someone at your front door and your dog wants to see who it is. Remember - You Are The Boss -but by action not by shouting!

Have a look round various pet shops and doggie magazines before deciding on what to buy. With branded toys you are reasonably safe to buy from the Internet where you may get better deals.

Once you have the new toy(s) you can introduce them to your dog and hopefully witness your dog's enjoyment.

You will need to examine regularly the toys and discard them as soon as they show any signs of becoming unsafe.

If you have toys that you can throw (e.g. a ball), make sure you throw it carefully. Your dog may chase after the toy oblivious to everything else. This means that if the ball lands near a sharp drop, a piece of machinery or a rock, your dog might run at full speed into the hazard with potentially serious consequences and a possible Vet's bill.

Stay Safe Out There,

David

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Choosing A New Dog

Hi,

Choosing A Dog? - Check This Out First

Every so often I get asked about the best type of dog to buy. This is often by people who have not owned a dog before and have no idea of how to go about acquiring the right type of pet. 

One of the great joys of life is acquiring a new dog. Whether it is a lively fun seeking puppy or a mature dog from a rescue centre there is the excitement of collecting the dog and the eager anticipation of the pleasures of dog ownership to come. But how can you ensure a long and happy relationship? You need to learn about dog care and training as well as considering your own situation before you even start looking for a dog.

There is a lot more to choosing a dog than you might think. However, I have produced a basic summary which can be viewed (Free) at:

The Dog Care And Training Website   

Here you can learn about some of the things you should take into account even before you start the search for your new “best friend”.

Have you a topic or problem that you would like featured? If so, add your question to the comment box below and I will see what I can do to help.

Take care,

David

It's A Fine Day - Let's Exercise The Dogs

Hi,

In this part of the world we have, rather unexpectedly, had some really fine warm days. This taste of Spring was enough to persuade me to take the dogs on an extended walk in the afternoon sunshine. However, lots of other people were doing the same thing and unfortunately there was a slightly worrying aspect to the way some people were treating their dogs.This was not to do with intentional cruelty but with lack of understanding of how a dog works.

A few dog owners were throwing sticks or toys for their dogs to retrieve and every one was having a good time, except that some dogs, obviously out of condition were being worked much too hard. Over the winter period dogs often get less exercise and get out of condition and over weight. This is a bit like humans but if you were asked to run about a lot you would probably decide at some point enough is enough. You would stop and take a rest knowing that being out of condition it would be a bit foolish to push your self over the limit.

For a dog it's different. Their strong sense of play (probably with it's origins in hunting) and the dog's natural eagerness to obey the pack leader (You) causes the dog to keep on playing until it is absolutely exhausted. In extreme cases this could be fatal.

So if you get the chance to take your dog out into a park or other open space it will be good to give your dog plenty of healthy exercise but be careful not to over do it especially with the more vigorous types of exercise and play.

Take care,

David

This and That

Hi,

I have discovered one interesting fact about the evolution of dogs from their original ancestors - the wolf. This is something you may be interested to know. However, firstly I would like tell you about a slightly disturbing incident that I came across recently.

I was invited by a group of people to accompany them on a country walk. The group included a man and woman both of about sixty-ish and they had with them their dog which was about 9 months old. The dog was a bright playful animal and was every thing you would expect from a young dog of that age. The owners were proud to tell everyone how they were training their dog properly and that they were attending dog training classes. On this occasion they were using a light steel choke chain but not very successfully. Unfortunately, it was a situation where the dog was constantly pulling ahead and was in danger of hurting it's throat.

Tactfully I tried to show them how to use a choke chain in that situation (short sharp checks and standing still until the dog settles down  - see our dog training book on the website:-   http://www.dogtraining-tips.co.uk ) They did listen and both of them tried, for a few minutes, to master the art of using a choke chain, but they did not try very hard.
The real problem came later as the couple became very argumentative with each other about how to control the dog, not just with the choke chain, but with every thing they were doing with the dog. This situation continued for most of the walk

Imagine how confusing and upsetting the situation was for the dog. It was a training disaster and it left me feeling that such arguments and tensions probably existed within their home. Because dogs are sensitive to mood in humans, I wonder how long it will take this couple to destroy the balance and good nature of their dog.

Fortunately most dog owners understand that a dog responds to quiet firm commands and only one person at a time should be giving the commands. (but of course you know this already don't you!)

Okay, what's the interesting fact about a dog's evolution from the wolf?

Well in the "Dog Training Tips" book, those of you that have read it, will recall that it is stated that your dog is 99% wolf even if it looks nothing like a wolf. So what makes up the 1%. Well one thing researchers have recently discovered is that the growl, whimper, bark and howl of a wolf has only two possible purposes. - to warn or to threaten.  Your dog, on the other hand, uses the vocals to warn, to threaten,  to command, to express need and as part of play.

In fact, beyond the range of human hearing your dog can make a bark mean different things to other dogs. the bark can impart any one of the five modes given above.

Clever isn't it!

I hope things go well for you in the coming week.

Regards,

David

Dieting For Dogs

Currently, there are a lot of reports of how our nation is getting ever more obese and of the need to maintain a healthy balanced diet. The importance of a nutritionally balanced  diet  is just as important for  our dogs as it is for us.

It is hard for most dog owners to know what is good or bad to include in their dog's diet. However, today pet food manufacturers spend enormous sums of money on research so as to know exactly what is the best diet for all breeds of dog. Each major manufacturer is keen to win market share by supplying a good reliable product. In addition consumer laws now require a greater degree of integrity of all pet food manufactures.

As a result it is possible to buy good quality food for your dog if you stick with top branded products. Yes - this will be more expensive but it still costs less than the vet's bills you will have to pay if your dog becomes ill as a result of a poor diet.

Do not be tempted to feed your dog scraps of food to supplement their diet. you need to control what your dog eats and how much it eats. This means watching your dog's caloric intake carefully.

Your dog  should be fed good quality food in amounts just right to meet it's energy requirements and it's weight.  If you need to get some idea of how heavy your type of dog should be go to the website shown below an look on the right hand side for link to free information

www.dogtraining-tips.co.uk

Remember, in addition to a good diet your dog needs 24/7 access to plenty of fresh clean water.


Also remember that your dog has to rely on you for the proper nutritional management of it's diet.

If you can really get control of your dog's diet and see how it contributes to better health - you may think about applying some of the principles to your own diet (of course - not with dog food!)

Take care everyone,

David

Rescue Centre After Care

Hi,
We had an email this month from a gentleman  in Scotland who had recently acquired a rescue dog from a prominent Scottish dog rescue centre.

Unfortunately, his experience after collecting the dog, was not as he had hoped. He encountered various problems with his new dog, mainly to do with behaviour and settling in to the new environment.
He contacted the rescue centre for help but he was unable to get any guidance or advice on how to correct the problems.

This was very distressing for the new owner, although in this case, he was eventually able to sort things out for himself.

We have purposely not named the rescue centre because we know that it is a caring and responsible organisation. However, it is important that any rescue centre finding new homes for dogs (or any other animal) should ensure that they have in place a back up and support system, even if it is just an email support or a referral to some other source of help and guidance.

It can be a very worrying experience for someone taking on a new dog, especially a big dog and should things seem to be going wrong. Having a point of contact for help and guidance would be very reassuring for new owners.

Many centres that find new homes for dogs are very stringent in their criteria for "would be owners" and this is good. It is essential, however, that backup and after care are available - after all many dogs end up in care simply because their owner does not know how to cope. It is thus self defeating for a rescue centre to place dogs into a situation where the new owner has problems and no one to turn to for help.
The dog may just end up back at the rescue centre.
If you have any connection with a Dog Rescue Centre anywhere in the country, find out what back up your centre has available for anyone who is providing a new home for your rescue dogs.

Regards,

Dog Care and Training Centre
www.dogtraining-tips.co.uk

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That Chewing Problem

Hi,
With Christmas well out of the way and the new intake of kid's toys scattered around the house, some dog owners are finding that these toys are extra fodder for a dog that likes to chew things. Fortunately, the majority of dogs do not chew everything in sight and of those that do it is often a transient phase. However, if you have a dog that continually chews house hold items and furniture is there anything you can do.

Chewing is a natural thing for a dog but if this chewing becomes  destructive and even compulsive is there anything you can do about it?

The best idea is to provide your dog with toys that it can chew.  A good chew toy will satisfy your dog's natural requirement  to chew and keep your dog happy for quite long periods. This activity will also help to keep your dog's teeth and gums clean and healthy.


 Chewing specific toys will also help break your dog's tendency to chew anything in sight. Make sure your dog has several toys which it knows are acceptable to chew on and to play with.


It is essential that you give your dog only good quality chew toys.  Make sure there are no removable parts that can break off and be swallowed. Avoid any  toys that are too small and could be swallowed by your dog. 
Some dogs have a very powerful bite or sharp teeth (or both) so it is always advisable to provide really tough toys. An example would be to choose toys from the "Kong" range - your local pet shop should be able to advise.


When you  give your dog a new toy, spend some time playing with your dog using the toy as part of the game.  This will teach the dog that some things are are okay to play with and to chew. Strangely enough this seems to help the dog understand that some things must not be chewed. It's alright to use treats to reward your dog for fetching or finding the hidden toy.

Get into the habit of rotating your dog's toys so as to maintain interest. Don't forget to wash all toys on a regular basis.


Take care.


Regards,


David


www.dogtraining-tips.co.uk

Greetings For 20011

Hi Everyone,

Wishing you (and your dogs) a very successful new year and I hope that 2011 brings all the good things you hope for.

Best regards

David

The Weight Problem

Hi,

I feel very ashamed as I add this entry.

You see I strongly believe that correct feeding and diet combined with weight control are absolutely essential in taking care of our dogs. It is the basis of good health and an active life not to mention a great saving on vet's bills.

Imagaine my horror and shame, when a knowledgeable person of my aquaintance, pointed out to me that one of our dogs (a little Jack Russell terrier) was over-weight - and they were right.

Okay, it was not terrible and easily corrected over a couple of weeks.  However, I had not really noticed and I should have done.

If you are concerned about your own dog's weight and wish to get some idea of how to check the situation there is information you can use.

You will find this on the following website.

http://www.dogtraining-tips.co.uk/

Go to the bottom of the page and click on the links "Related Articles > Weight Chart For Dogs"
This is a guide only, but it is a very good place to start if you are not sure of your dog's condition.

Take care.

D

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Essentials of Dog Training

Hi,

I often get asked what I think are the most important elements in training a dog.

With so many details to consider you may think that this is a very wide ranging question. In fact the answer is quite simple. There are three primary essentials to training a dog and the first is not about the dog, it's about you.

To be successful at dog training you must learn to discipline your self to react correctly with your dog. A typical example is when you are training your dog to come to you and it decides to wander off somewhere else. It is easy to start shouting and to loose your temper especially if you have had a bad day. The problem is that your dog does not understand any of this, it only understands that for some unknown reason, you are yelling in an aggressive manner and it it would be better to stay out of harms way.

The next essential of dog training is to follow a structured programme, taking one exercise at a time and spending a lot of time on that exercise before moving to the next one.

The third essential is repetition. To re-enforce your training message you need to keep repeating it. However, you also need to introduce variety into your dog's training session. If we consider the "come" exercise, although you keep repeating it, some times you will reward your dog with a tit-bit, sometimes with a toy to play with for a while, sometimes you just give your dog a whole lot of fuss and sometimes you do nothing and put your dog straight into the next exercise.

There is a saying amongst professional dog trainers that:
There are no no bad dogs only bad owners.

I will leave you to think about that.

All the best
D


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